


Be Like Them

by ivarara



Series: Maxis [9]
Category: Warframe
Genre: [adds any semblance of angst to a story] no we need to fix this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-14 22:33:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17517074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivarara/pseuds/ivarara
Summary: Max hears news of a Tenno raid on the Plains. Distraught, she turns to her warframe and companion for comfort.





	Be Like Them

The wind howls, stirring up dust and rustling the sparse plant life. It blows grains of sand into their faces, provoking a grimace from the operator and an exaggerated sneeze from the canine next to her. Rubbing her hands on her face in an attempt to wipe off any dust that had stuck, Max dejectedly realizes how the particles are able to grit in between the fabric and plating of the light armor covering her, and trying to keep them out is a waste of time. Accepting the fact, she lays back down on the dry grass next to the kubrow and Ivara, creating a trio set off to the side from the stiletto’s main workings to enjoy the lull in activity and to soak up the pleasant weather while it lasted.

It’s peaceful, for once—no raised voices, no guns firing; just the regular low murmuring of the other officers and soldiers discussing amongst themselves. The chatter seems mostly mundane and doesn’t directly affect anyone in the small group. There’s no looming sense of upcoming conflict that seems to be nearly ever-present elsewhere, for which everyone stationed there is thankful for. In a sense, it’s eerily calm.

Slight eavesdropping reveals that the chatter is nothing notable either; just typical discussions of dealing with teralysts and the actions of the newer Ghouls that have unearthed.

It’s not until someone briskly passes them, completely focused ahead of them and not acknowledging who they’re passing, that any effort is put in to pay attention to happenings.

“It’s the Tenno; they’ve raided one of the settlements out east. They destroyed all supplies at the location and stole an information drone with commanders’ logs.”

The response and rest of the report are lost in thought as the news settles in and she stiffens up with realization. It’s not unusual to hear about outposts on other planets being raided. But here, on the Plains, the settlements are smaller, less able to rebound as quickly to recover and prepare for anything else. The scarce number of troops stationed at each spot would stand less of a chance than those inside the vast mining sites and galleons.

She’s snapped out of her lament by a sudden weight in her lap. Trou had plunked his head on her crossed legs, working as a distraction from the derailing train of thought that’s obviously upset her. When he notices that he’s been seen, his tail starts up and wags furiously, creating a smaller version of the earlier dust storm. Max puts up with him, scratching behind his ears distractedly.

A sudden weight across her shoulders fully snaps her out of the daze, startling her enough to jostle the mutt that’s nearly settled his full weight into her lap, despite his size. Looking up, she realizes that the pressure is Ivara settling her arm across Max’s shoulders in a small, awkward attempt at comforting. Being noticed, she pulls slightly harder, moving them into an askew hug.

“It’s alright, no worries,” Max mutters unconvincingly, “it’s nothing new.”

Ivara doesn’t move her arm, nor does Trouvaille move his head, firmly planting and holding themselves where they are, no matter how much it makes the operator need to twist and contort to follow both. Eventually, she submits to the onslaughts, letting Ivara’s arm pull her closer to the bulk of the Warframe and leans into the pressure, and scratching behind Trou’s ears with one hand.

A stretch of silence holds tension that is nearly palpable for how upset the younger scout is. Still tense, huddled in on herself, and avoiding looking at anything but the ground—very noticeably distressed by what’s happened.

Shortly, she utters quietly, “We used to be like them, y’know,” looking down as if ashamed, “we used to go about things like that without a second thought of what we’d cause or who was involved.” She fidgets with a buckle on her armor. “We did all that just because someone else told us to, not because we felt like we needed to.”

Ivara’s arm tightens around her shoulders, pulling her closer so as to be able to firmly wrap both around Max. She’s still downcast, so Ivara makes a point to exaggerate the gesture, hauling her up against her in a strong hug. The action jostles Max enough to rouse her out of her thoughts, trying to keep upright with the force of the hug. It prompts a quick smile out of her and, noticing the small flicker of happiness, Ivara holds her grip tightly, no matter how much Max feebly and half-heartedly struggles to get out. Trouvaille has sat up, now throwing himself in to the group, leaning heavily on Max’s other side and pinning her further against the Warframe. She’s smirking and giggling, even smushed between the two bodies pinning her in place.  
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The commander watches as Max’s posture droops at the news from where she’s sitting off to the side. He keeps watching as the Warframe and canine take it upon themselves to rouse her from her guilt, looking on as the two sandwich her in between themselves.

Nobody can tell, but he smiles.


End file.
